A workplace injury can leave you in pain and feeling restless. When you cannot work and have nothing to focus your energy on but your recovery, you may feel anxious and overwhelmed. Taking your mind off the pain and daily struggles by vacationing can seem like the perfect solution, allowing you to recover in peace and restore your mental health. So, can you get vacation pay while on workers’ compensation? Unfortunately, vacationing while on workers’ compensation can potentially cause problems.
At Calhoon and Kaminsky P.C., we want to help you understand the Pennsylvania workers’ compensation system and how vacationing while receiving benefits may jeopardize your claim.
What Benefits Can I Get Through Workers’ Compensation?
Pennsylvania workers’ compensation insurance helps cover medical expenses and a portion of an employee’s wages for work-related injuries and illnesses. These benefits help individuals recover from workplace injuries while maintaining their financial stability. However, the program also offers other benefits depending on their illness or injury severity.
The Pennsylvania workers’ compensation program offers specific loss benefits in cases where an individual loses the permanent use of a body part or suffers a significant disability. Additionally, the program pays death benefits to entitled dependents if a workplace injury results in death.
Does Going on Vacation Impact My Workers’ Compensation Benefits?
Technically, you can go on vacation while receiving workers’ compensation benefits. However, vacationing while accepting workers’ compensation benefits for an injury or an illness can complicate your claim.
Workers’ compensation benefits are for individuals injured while working. Traveling or vacationing can potentially signal to the insurance company that you are not as “injured” as you claim. Their reasoning may be that if you are healthy enough to travel for fun and leisure, you are healthy enough to work. This can result in the denial of your claim and the end of your benefits.
Additionally, traveling may complicate your treatment. Vacations can disrupt scheduled doctor’s appointments and necessary follow-up care, jeopardizing your claim. Although you may have a relaxing or leisurely trip in mind, photographs or social media posts about your time away can end up in the hands of the insurance company and trigger a potential fraud investigation.
While you can’t be kept from enjoying your time and vacationing, numerous complications can come from traveling while accepting workers’ compensation benefits. It is wise to discuss travel plans with your attorney before vacationing while you’re off work and collecting wage replacement benefits.
Can I Get Vacation Pay While on Workers’ Comp?
Many employees also ask whether they can get vacation pay while on workers’ compensation. If you take a paid vacation while receiving wage replacement benefits, you typically won’t be eligible for wage benefits for that period. This prevents workers from receiving vacation or holiday pay in addition to workers’ compensation payments.
Discuss Your Situation with an Experienced Workers’ Compensation Lawyer
Navigating the workers’ compensation system can feel like a full-time job. Hand your case to an experienced Pennsylvania workers’ compensation attorney. At Calhoon and Kaminsky P.C., our skilled workers’ compensation attorneys can answer all your questions and help you recover the benefits you deserve.
Contact our office today to get a free case review.
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For more than 20 years, our attorneys have been helping injured workers navigate the complex Pennsylvania workers’ compensation system. We empower workers with the information and the representation they need to make the best decisions for themselves and their families’ future.
